Sorry I’ve been absent. This has been a challenging year for my family. My mother passed away. My father-in-law has had health issues. Hubby retired. I left my job and joined another pre-money start-up.

So here I am, 11 months into life with Juliet, and I do have to say that she’s fitting into the family well. She’s not completely housebroken (a poop on the carpet yesterday proved that), but she’s on a schedule that works. As long as we stick to that schedule…we’re golden. If WE mess up…well, let’s just say that yesterday’s poop wasn’t HER fault! A novel idea, yes? That ‘accidents’ can be our fault. It’s true.

We recently took a couple of weeks off and went to mid-coast Maine. Of course, a vacation wouldn’t be as fun without the pups, so off in the doggie sling we went! We did have to get a barrier to prevent Juliet from jumping into the front seat some time ago, but since then, both dogs have been pretty good in the car. Jasmine still prefers to burrow, so we often find her UNDER the doggie sling. I need to find a solution that works for her (blankets don’t work) that will keep her safely in the sling AND happy.

Vacation was a blast. Both dogs were immediately comfortable in the vacation house (my sister-in-law’s vacation home). We had a little yard for the dogs to run around in, and we took them out for walks while we were exploring the area. We also were lucky to time our vacation so we could attend the Belfast Wienerfest! We dressed the gals in some spiffy outfits and took them for a spin in the new doggie stroller/bike trailer. Both were a hit!

We entered them into the costume contest (they lost) and participated in the Parade of Wieners! It was a blast to see so many dogs at the fest. And since they were so cute in their costumes (they wore Patriots / Red Sox jerseys, Patriots bandanas and Patriots sun visors), they were instant celebrities! Wherever we went, people mentioned seeing them at the fest! Apparently, there are a lot of Doxie fans in Maine! 🙂

The doggie stroller/trailer was a HUGE help to us during the vacation. It’s a Merske Medium Bike Trailer/Stroller that I found at Overstock.com. With a coupon (wait for those), I paid about $150. The versatility of this trailer is great, and it works well. Hubby forgot the handle at the back, so we went to a hardware store and, with the help of one of the great salespeople at Aubuchon, we made a handle out of PVC for about $15. The great thing about this trailer is the accessibility. There are zip panels in front, back and up top. However, the one negative is that there is NO storage except for two small pockets on the side. The bike trailer bar folds under the trailer while not in use. Very nice!

Okay, back to the vacation. The dogs were really put into new/stressful situations, and both did SO well. They loved being with the pack and adjusted well to the changes. I’ll write soon about the challenges we’ve faced with both pups since Juliet arrived. But I am SO happy to see how Juliet has thrived and how much Jasmine has really come out of her shell since Juliet joined the pack.

Oh–we heard Juliet bark for the first time on this trip. Strangely, it was at an old black Labrador Retriever. The same kind of dog that Jasmine barked at the first time we heard HER bark. So, we have two (relatively) non-barking Dachshunds. How did that happen??? I’m not complaining, mind you. We have a really great matched set here!

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Hubby and I needed a getaway. After 18 months without a vacation, renovating a house and a cross-country move, we were due. We wanted to just relax, but we also wanted to include Jasmine on the fun, so we decided on a driving vacation up the coast of Maine. It would conclude with a visit with some old friends in Durham, Maine. The best part of the trip was that, outside of the stop in Durham, we had no agenda. We had no reservations anywhere. We just wanted to explore the area and end up where we ended up. High season ended on Labor Day weekend, so availability of accommodations wouldn’t be a big problem.

Jasmine likes to ride in the car, so we got her favorite blanket, toys, and treats and hit the road. The first day, we drove the back roads all the way up to Portland. We stopped in Portsmouth, NH as well. Jasmine attracted attention wherever we went–people just love wiener dogs–and we were never denied access to any store; I carried her in many stores and galleries, and that was just fine. Jasmine was further exposed to new experiences and lots of people approaching her–a good thing. Unless people approached her aggressively (surprising how many “dog people” had no idea how to approach a dog), she was cautiously okay with a scratch behind the ear or a little pet.

The first night was a little uncomfortable for her. She paced a lot in the hotel but we decided to keep her with us on the bed so she was happy to snuggle up and sleep. The new environment was a little disconcerting for her, but she adjusted well and did not have any accidents the entire week.

The next day was her first challenge. We decided to take a cruise of Portland harbor. It was a 2-hour tour of the islands around the harbor on the local ferry, and dogs were welcome (and required a separate fare). We carried her on and got our seat up top. She sniffed the air and settled on my lap. It was so fun to watch the other passengers on the trip; they were more enamored with Jasmine than they were with the tour. One gentleman took more pictures of Jasmine than he did of the bay! Jasmine did so well; she was calm and interested in all the smells and sights.

The rest of the week went well. Jasmine adapted to every environment that we presented. Finding pet-friendly accommodations was generally not an issue, but it was surprising how few hotels were open to pets. In Boothbay Harbor, we only found a few places and ONLY with the help of the local chamber of commerce. We did end up at a particularly wonderful place, the Spruce Point Inn, that was both pet-friendly and didn’t just reserve the worst rooms for that purpose. The worst experience? Hampton Inn. We went in to get a quote. Jasmine was calmly encased in my arms. The genius at the front desk fumbled with his reservation system, and after several minutes, we got some rates. However, it only occurred to him to let us know of a property-wide BAN on pets after this whole process. Um, why go through with rate quotes when you can clearly see that we aren’t going to take a room due to the pet ban? Duh.

The end of the week was interesting. We got to our friends’ home in Durham. They have two dogs, one of which is a black lab “puppy” that they’ve had for three weeks. He’s 45 pounds of pure puppy energy. Jasmine wanted nothing to do with either dog. However the puppy, Bailey, was fascinated by Jasmine and took every opportunity to try to play with this new “toy.” Jasmine snapped at him a couple of times and endured getting swatted in the head by a puppy paw, but she was generally calm and comfortable in my arms. Well, as comfortable as she could be, as you can see in the photo below. Overall, Jasmine did wonderfully and we had a great vacation together. She was happy to be home, but she also had some great socialization experiences to help her growth and well being. And tons of treats, pets and kisses.

Jasmine, meet Bailey. Bailey, meet Jasmine.

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We’re leaving on vacation on Friday. Jasmine is once again staying with our friends.It’s going to be hard to leave that little face for two weeks. We’re celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, we can’t bring Jasmine with us…Jasmine would be in quarantine longer than we’d be visiting. 😦

Well, at very least we know that she’ll be well taken care of and loved. But what will I do without that little nuzzle at 6:15 a.m.?

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We got back home on Friday night and went straight from the airport to pick up our little girl. Jasmine had a nice time with our friends and bonded well with the mom. She and the other dog ignored each other–not what I was hoping, but good that Jasmine learned to cohabit with the other dog.

Jasmine wasn’t eating much the first few days, but by the end of the week, she was back to a normal eating pattern (IF the other dog was outside and the curtains were shut). She didn’t have a single accident, even when left alone with the run of the house. She took treats from the family, and made noises when she was hungry. She slept in her crate at night and lazed in her pink poofy pillow during the day.

It makes me happy that she was well cared for by people who know and love dogs. I dreaded kenneling her, and I think these friends might be amenable to taking her when we go on vacation in a few months. She’s a great dog, and everyone loved her. What’s not to love?